Diaquadichloridobis(1H-imidazole)manganese(II) at 100 K.

The mononuclear title complex, [MnCl(2)(C(3)H(4)N(2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)], is located on a crystallographic inversion center. The Mn(II) ion is coordinated by two imidazole ligands [Mn-N = 2.2080 (9) A], two Cl atoms [Mn-Cl = 2.5747 (3) A] and two water molecules [Mn-O = 2.2064 (8) A]. These six monodentate ligands define an octahedron with almost ideal angles: the adjacent N-Mn-O, N-Mn-Cl and O-Mn-Cl angles are 90.56 (3), 92.04 (2) and 90.21 (2) degrees , respectively. Hydrogen bonds between the coordinated water molecules and Cl atoms form a two-dimensional network parallel to (100) involving R(4)(2)(8) rings. The two-dimensional networks link into a three-dimensional framework through weaker N-H...Cl interactions. Thermogravimetric analysis results are in accordance with the water-coordinated character of the substance and its dehydration in two successive steps.